Take Your Dog To Work Day® Celebrates 15 Years of Dogs at Work for a Cause

Created by Pet Sitters International in 1999, Take Your Dog To Work Day, one of the longest-running online pet-adoption campaigns and the only event that focuses solely on celebrating dogs and educating pet owners in the workplace, continues to grow in popularity and participation.

Pet ownership is on the rise and the American Heart Association recently announced that owning pets can even reduce the risk of heart disease. In light of these facts, PSI anticipates participation in TYDTWDay will continue to grow for years to come.

King, NC (PRWEB) June 12, 2013

On Friday, June 21, dogs across the United States and abroad will accompany their owners to work as businesses celebrate the 15th annual Take Your Dog To Work Day® (TYDTWDay®). The online campaign, created by Pet Sitters International (PSI) in 1999, has reached tens of thousands with its unique message of celebrating dogs at work to promote pet adoptions during the last decade and a half. Pet ownership is on the rise and the American Heart Association recently announced that owning pets can even reduce the risk of heart disease. In light of these facts, PSI anticipates participation in TYDTWDay will continue to grow for years to come.

Since TYDTWDay’s inception, companies have increasingly embraced the event, allowing employees to bring their dogs to work for this fun summer Friday to support a good cause. PSI President Patti Moran estimates that fewer than 300 companies participated in the first event. Since that time, word about the event spread quickly and the popularity of the event has grown by leaps and bounds.

Moran attributes the event’s success to the increasing role pets have come to play in our lives.

“There’s no question pets enhance our lives,” said Moran. “Experts tout the benefits of pet ownership, from reduced stress to increased physical activity. TYDTWDay provides pet lovers with a unique way to celebrate their dogs and give back to the pet community by promoting adoptions.”

PSI does not track the day’s participation numbers because companies are not required to register in order to participate. However, the association’s tracking tools indicate that overall involvement around the event grows each year. Last summer, more than 360,000 visitors explored http://www.takeyourdog.com to learn more about participating in the annual event—a 200 percent increase in site traffic from the previous year.

Although major corporations like Google and Amazon may be most well known for their dog-friendly policies, PSI hears from a variety of companies each year—from law firms and universities to governmental offices and fine china distributors—interested in joining in the dogs-at-work trend, if only for TYDTWDay.

Long-time TYDTWDay participant Village Green will be hosting its fourteenth TYDTWDay event this year. The Detroit-based property management company selects a new theme for their celebration each year, asks employees to make a small monetary donation to bring their dogs to work on the day and involves the community by hosting an online auction to benefit a local pet-rescue organization. Since 2000, Village Green has raised more than $40,000 to help local pets in need through their TYDTWDay celebration.

“My dogs bring me so much joy at home and work,” explained Christine Eluskie, TYDTWDay event organizer at Village Green. “I value that my company recognizes the role pets play in its employees’ lives and uses this fun celebration as a way to give back to our community.”

Partnering to promote this year’s campaign are Adopt-A-Pet.com, Dog Fancy magazine, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and Fourleggedlife.com, creator of National Dog Party Day.

PSI and its 2013 campaign partners encourage businesses, shelters and pet lovers interested in celebrating TYDTWDay to download the free 2013 Action Pack available on the official event Web site, http://www.takeyourdog.com. The Action Pack includes step-by-step instructions for planning the event, customizable TYDTWDay materials and a sample dog-friendly work policy.

Companies that may be closed on Fridays or that wish to include other pets in the celebration are encouraged to participate any day during Take Your Pet To Work Week™, June 17-21.